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Welcome to the Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines

Here you will find the latest and past versions of the IPTG

IMPORTANT: The 2013 Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines do not automatically apply to previous parenting time orders. Parents wishing to have the 2013 IPTG applied to their case must seek a modification of their current parenting time orders.

Parents can find helpful information about the Guidelines such as the Holiday schedules, commentary on the objectives of particular sections, and guidance on using the Guidelines to the benefit of the children and parents. Additionally links are provided to other sources that offer guidance on co-parenting, research on the effects that various arrangements and parenting styles may have on children, tips for creating parenting plans, and lessons from attorneys and judges.

Attorneys will find links to useful caselaw, parenting plan templates or guides, and the latest information about the Guidelines. Additional resources for attorneys are provided such as the rules or guidelines for attorneys representing children. Also included are guidelines for child custody evaluators, GALs or other third-parties that may be involved in child custody litigation.

Policy Makers responsible for writing, implementing or applying provisions of the Guidelines or statutory law have an awesome responsibility to the children and parents affected by the Guidelines. The greatest asset available for this responsibility is information. Policy makers should find the necessary information to ensure that the implementation of their policies are consistent with the existing IPTG and the relevant research and findings about the best interest of the children.

The Indiana Division of State Court Administration intends to translate the IPTG to Spanish. The Spanish language version will be posted on this page once it is completed.

2013 Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines - effective March 1, 2013

2013 Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines - with amendments and deletions

2009 Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines

This site was last updated on 30 March 2015

Parent held in contempt and jailed for failing to follow 2013 IPTG requiring parents to ensure that child participates in parenting time. See Court of Appeals opinion under "Parents"

These calendars use the 2013 Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines - The following parenting times are applicable in all situations referenced in the IPTG as “scheduled holidays” with limitations for children under the age of three (3) years.

2015 Holiday schedule

Child's Birthday. The CUSTODIAL PARENT shall have all of the children on each child's birthday from 9:00 A.M. until 9:00 P.M. However, if the birthday falls on a school day, then from 5:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. When the child’s birthday falls within a Special Day, Holiday, or Christmas vacation, the child’s birthday shall be celebrated with the parent having the child during that time period.

The following holidays shall apply to the CUSTODIAL PARENT this year;

Martin Luther King Day. If observed by the child’s school, from Friday at 6:00 P.M. until Monday at 7:00 P.M.

Presidents’ Day. If observed by the child’s school, from Friday at 6:00 P.M. until Monday at 7:00 P.M.

Memorial Day. From Friday at 6:00 P.M. until Monday at 7:00 P.M.

Labor Day. From Friday at 6:00 P.M. until Monday at 7:00 P.M.

Thanksgiving. From 6:00 P.M. on Wednesday until 7:00 P.M. on Sunday.

Christmas Vacation. The CUSTODIAL PARENT shall have the LAST one half (1/2) of the Christmas vacation unless the parties agree otherwise. Absent agreement of the parties, the first half of the period will begin two hours after the child is released from school. The second half of the period will end at 6:00 p.m. on the day before school begins again. In those years when Christmas does not fall in a parent’s week, that parent shall have the child from Noon to 9:00 P.M. on Christmas Day.

The following holidays shall apply to the NON-CUSTODIAL PARENT this year;

Spring Break. From two hours after the child is released from school on the child’s last day of school before Spring Break, and ending 7:00 p.m. on the last day before school begins again.

Easter. From Friday at 6:00 P.M. until Sunday at 7:00 P.M.

Independence Day [Fourth of July]. From 6:00 P.M. on July 3rd until 10:00 A.M. on July 5th.

Fall Break. From two hours after the child is released from school on the child’s last day of school before Fall Break and ending 7:00 p.m. of the last day before school begins again.

Halloween. On Halloween evening from 6:00 P.M. until 9:00 P.M. or at such time as coincides with the scheduled time for trick or treating in the community where the non-custodial parent resides.

Christmas Vacation. The NON-CUSTODIAL PARENT shall have the FIRST one half (1/2) of the Christmas vacation unless the parties agree otherwise. Absent agreement of the parties, the first half of the period will begin two hours after the child is released from school. The second half of the period will end at 6:00 p.m. on the day before school begins again. In those years when Christmas does not fall in a parent’s week, that parent shall have the child from Noon to 9:00 P.M. on Christmas Day.

2016 Holiday schedule

Child's Birthday. The NON-CUSTODIAL PARENT shall have all of the children on each child's birthday from 9:00 A.M. until 9:00 P.M. However, if the birthday falls on a school day, then from 5:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. When the child’s birthday falls within a Special Day, Holiday, or Christmas vacation, the child’s birthday shall be celebrated with the parent having the child during that time period.

The following holidays shall apply to the NON-CUSTODIAL PARENT this year;

Martin Luther King Day. If observed by the child’s school, from Friday at 6:00 P.M. until Monday at 7:00 P.M.

Presidents’ Day. If observed by the child’s school, from Friday at 6:00 P.M. until Monday at 7:00 P.M.

Memorial Day. From Friday at 6:00 P.M. until Monday at 7:00 P.M.

Labor Day. From Friday at 6:00 P.M. until Monday at 7:00 P.M.

Thanksgiving. From 6:00 P.M. on Wednesday until 7:00 P.M. on Sunday.

Christmas Vacation. The NON-CUSTODIAL PARENT shall have the LAST one half (1/2) of the Christmas vacation unless the parties agree otherwise. Absent agreement of the parties, the first half of the period will begin two hours after the child is released from school. The second half of the period will end at 6:00 p.m. on the day before school begins again. In those years when Christmas does not fall in a parent’s week, that parent shall have the child from Noon to 9:00 P.M. on Christmas Day.

The following holidays shall apply to the CUSTODIAL PARENT this year;

Spring Break. From two hours after the child is released from school on the child’s last day of school before Spring Break, and ending 7:00 p.m. on the last day before school begins again.

Easter. From Friday at 6:00 P.M. until Sunday at 7:00 P.M.

Independence Day [Fourth of July]. From 6:00 P.M. on July 3rd until 10:00 A.M. on July 5th.

Fall Break. From two hours after the child is released from school on the child’s last day of school before Fall Break and ending 7:00 p.m. of the last day before school begins again.

Halloween. On Halloween evening from 6:00 P.M. until 9:00 P.M. or at such time as coincides with the scheduled time for trick or treating in the community where the non-custodial parent resides.

Christmas Vacation. The CUSTODIAL PARENT shall have the FIRST one half (1/2) of the Christmas vacation unless the parties agree otherwise. Absent agreement of the parties, the first half of the period will begin two hours after the child is released from school. The second half of the period will end at 6:00 p.m. on the day before school begins again. In those years when Christmas does not fall in a parent’s week, that parent shall have the child from Noon to 9:00 P.M. on Christmas Day.